This invention pertains to a method for detecting and rewarding the return of shopping carts to the collection points provided for them at a shopping center, wherein during shopping a first signal A is generated and when the shopping cart is returned to a collection point a second signal B is generated, and wherein the two signals A and B are correlated to issue a bonus. Also, the invention pertains to a system to carry out the method, with a number of shopping carts, and at least one collection point for the shopping carts, with a first detection means to generate a first signal A during shopping and with a second detection means to generate a second signal B at the return of the shopping cart to a collection point, as well as with a data processing unit to correlate the two signals A and B to issue a bonus.
Shopping centers designed for self-service are generally interested in customers using a shopping cart to go shopping. This increases customer comfort level, minimizes the danger of damage to the goods being obtained by being dropped and above all, provides a certain level of protection against conscious or unconscious theft. These shopping carts are made available to the customers for the duration of their shopping experience, and are normally kept in collection points where the customer can take one with them to go shopping. However, most customers leave the shopping carts where they had been unloaded; i.e. usually right in the middle of the parking lot of the shopping center. This results in frustrating obstructions and to some extent also to damage to customers' vehicles so that additional personnel must be on hand to gather the abandoned shopping carts at regular intervals and bring them back to the collection points.
In order to compel the customer to return the used shopping cart to the collection point and not just leave it, a successful method in recent years has been to use a lock box system. This allows the customer to remove a shopping cart from the collection point only if he has deposited a refundable coin into the lock box, which then releases the shopping cart. The customer only gets the refundable coin back when he returns the shopping cart and properly stores it there, i.e. normally pushing it into a stacked row of shopping carts, and coupling it to the immediately neighboring shopping cart.
The lock box system is, however, not accepted by all customers and is perceived to be a bother. Also, sometimes very cheap plastic discs are inserted into the lock boxes that mimic a refundable coin, but of course do not also function as an incentive to return the shopping cart correctly to the collection point. Also, it is normally desirable to prevent angering a customer prior to his shopping experience, which will always happen if he wants to use a shopping cart but doesn't have any of the correct refundable coins.
WO 98/51197 describes a system that seeks to avoid this disadvantage to the lock box system: what this publication discloses a system to detect and reward the return of shopping carts to the collection points provided for them at the shopping center, with the system producing a first signal A without a deposit using electronic identification of the individual shopping carts and by electronically detecting their route when a particular shopping cart passes by the cash register of the shopping center and is electronically recognized. A second signal B is produced when the same cart is stored in a collection point, and is also electronically identified there and recognized in this manner. A central data processing unit receives both signals A and B, correlates them and issues a bonus. In general, the bonus is given out in the form of a credit certificate; it can also be credited to a customer card that is read in for this purpose.
This prior art according to WO 98/51197 does indeed avoid the disadvantages of the common lock box system described above; however, this carries with it a considerable cost since each shopping cart has to be equipped with an electronic apparatus that communicates wirelessly with the respective detection means to generate the signals A and B. In addition to the costs that are incurred for each shopping cart, there is the danger of damage to the electronic components due to the shopping carts not always being treated gently. Finally, there must be a separate energy source for reliable functioning of this known system, which because of the mobile nature must consist of batteries, which has corresponding maintenance requirements.